The claimed invention relates to an apparatus used for cleaning rain gutters. It comprises an electrical or gasoline powered air blower, commonly used for yard work, in combination with an air nozzle extension unit. This combination is used to blow leaves and debris out of rain gutters which are normally located under the eaves of buildings. The air nozzle extension unit, in effect, remotes the air nozzle from the blower and, hence, enhances the capability of the blower in a manner such that it allows the user to operate from ground level while cleaning a rain gutter.
Prior Art
The most commonly used method to clean rain gutters is to climb a ladder, rake the leaves out, move the ladder, rake the leaves out, etc. On a low pitch roof the operator can place a ladder on the roof, climb the ladder with the air blower, and walk along the edge of the roof using the blower to clean the gutterxe2x80x94a degree of safety is involved here. A more modem approach that is currently being used is to replace the standard air nozzle on a blower with a long (10 ft.) rigid extension air tube. This allows the operator to work from the ground level. It does, however, add an appreciable amount of weight to the blower and is awkward to use in that it requires the operator to hold the blower in a tilted position and to move the complete assembly in all directions to control the position of the extended air nozzle. This type of an accessory is currently being marketed by STIHL and Echo for use with their respective air blowers.
The objective of the claimed invention is to offer a rain gutter cleaning apparatus that is more xe2x80x9cuser friendlyxe2x80x9d than the currently used approaches. This objective was accomplished by mounting an air nozzle on one end of a small, lightweight, 6-8 foot rigid extension tube assembly and, in turn, connecting the air hose to the output if an air blower with a flexible air hose. This configuration offers flexibility in that it allows the operator to control the nozzle position relative to the gutter with the extension tube assembly without requiring movement of the blower unit. With this approach, the user can operate from ground level and control the position of the air nozzle with either hand. Also, it allows the user to hold the air blower, like a suitcase, with either hand. Thence, the air nozzle is remoted, to some degree, from the blower unit and can be independently positioned relative to the gutter while the user operates from ground levelxe2x80x94xe2x80x9cuser friendlyxe2x80x9d.